The Landmine Distortion Pedal is an analog distortion pedal housed in a steel casing built to resemble a WWII landmine, finished in olive-drab green with military-style stencil lettering. MusicRadar reported that "Mike fashioned a steel casing to resemble a WWII landmine"1. The publication described how "the Landmine produced crushing low-end, ass-kicking midrange report and fiery top end attack," combining the distinct and offsetting textures of tubelike distortion and chainsaw fuzz1. It sits among distortion pedals as a design that pairs those two distortion characters in one box.
Controls and dual outputs
The Landmine has controls for level, low, mid and high adjustment, giving a player volume along with three bands of EQ shaping at the pedal itself12. Its most unusual feature is the output arrangement: it carries amp and mixer outputs that can be used simultaneously12. That means the same pedal can drive a guitar amplifier on stage while also feeding a mixing console or recording rig, without extra hardware in between.
Sound and what reviewers said
Guitar World's 2008 review described the pedal's range in strong terms: "the Landmine produced crushing low-end, ass-kicking midrange report and fiery top end attack," with "distinct and offsetting textures of tubelike distortion and chainsaw fuzz"1. The reviewer's verdict on the blend was that "Palermo has succeeded where many have failed before him, magnificently blending two dissimilar distortion types into one"1. The same review noted that "the hand-built distortion box has blown away everyone who has hit its switch"1.
Design and construction
The enclosure is part of the concept. Palermo "fashioned a steel casing to resemble a WWII landmine," finished in olive-drab green with military-style stencil lettering1. The circuit itself is completely analog, according to Guitar World's review1.
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Questions
Is the Landmine Distortion Pedal analog?
Yes. Guitar World's review describes the olive-drab-green Landmine as completely analog, and MusicRadar refers to it as the LD-1 Landmine analog distortion pedal. There is no digital processing in the circuit, which matters to players who want their distortion to respond the way a traditional stompbox does.
Can the amp and mixer outputs be used at the same time?
Yes. Both Guitar World and MusicRadar note that the Landmine has amp and mixer outputs that can be used simultaneously, so a player can feed an amplifier on stage and a mixing console or recording interface at the same time without needing a separate splitter or direct box.
Is the Landmine Distortion Pedal hand-built?
Yes. Guitar World's review calls it a hand-built distortion box, made by Mike Palermo, a Canadian guitarist and music store proprietor who also fashioned the steel casing himself.
What does the Landmine pedal look like?
The pedal is olive-drab green with military-style stencil lettering, and its steel casing is fashioned to resemble a WWII landmine, a look that matches its name.
Sources (2)
- Landmine Distortion Pedal, Guitar World, 2008-01-29
- The Landmine distortion pedal, MusicRadar, 2008-01-30
